The Huan Chronicles
by Blue Moon7
Summary: Doctor Huan is well-respected in Muse. However, no one knows what goes on in his laboratory...
1. Macabre

"So how will he do? Is his leg going to be alright?" The worried mother asked the doctor about her son's sollen feet. "It hurts!" The boy screamed.  
  
The doctor pulled a lollipop out of his robes, and gave it to the boy, "Here, this is your medicine." The doctor smiled at the boy, and gave the lollipop to him. The boy immediately devoured the lollipop.  
  
The Doctor continued smiling and looked at the mother, "No worry Mrs. Wesley, Josh will get better soon, he just twisted his ankle. Just make sure he doesn't escape your house and go play at the hill!"  
  
The mother bowed, "Thank you Dr. Huan, we are so lucky to have an expert physician like you in Muse."  
  
"Please please, I am still in training!" Huan waved his hands in front of himself in protest. "Well, you take care of yourself, Josh, and don't make your mother worry so much!"  
  
"Okay Dr. Huan, but I'm okay now, it doesn't hurt!" The boy started running from his mother, and the mother waved bye to Huan and left running after the boy "Hey! Don't run!"  
  
Huan closed the door to his clinic. Oddly, once the door closed, the bright interior suddenly turned to a darker hue. Huan proceeded to his study, which was lit by a single tapered candle. Huan sat at his study desk and opened a book. The book, titled, "Anesthetisiology" was authored by Liukan. Huan showed a wry smile as he opened the book. He opened to a page titled "Anesthetic Infusion."  
  
Huan then opened a log book, and started writing--"Joshua Wesley, 7-yr old, male. Injured left foot by twisting ankle and minor contusions. Treatment, anesthetic candy to kill pain. Dosage of infused anesthetic--50 u."  
  
Huan closed and locked the book and retired to his quarters.  
----------  
Later that night...  
  
"DR. HUAN, PLEASE LET ME IN!!!!" Huan was awakened by a frantic voice and pounding noises at his door, he immediately woke up and ran downstairs to his clinic door. "DR. HUAN, JOSH IS!!! OH PLEASE SAVE HIM!!"  
  
Huan opened the door. He saw a few townsmen with Mrs. Wesley holding a   
blood-soaked Josh. "What happened?" Huan asked with a worried look on his face.  
  
"I told him not to go to the hills, but he sneaked out and climbed up, and he fell!! His friends said he was saying he was feeling sleepy! Please help him!!" Mrs. Wesley pleaded frantically.  
  
Huan took Josh's pulse, and ordered the townsment to take the boy inside. "Lay him down on that table," Huan ordered, and the townsmen laid Josh on the operation table. Huan immediately started his prognosis by looking at the boy's wounds.  
  
"....broken ribs... three of them, in fact... concussions... minimal blood loss for this amount of damage... broken leg... head wounds.... " Huan whispered as he investigated the boy's wounds. Huan turned towards the boy's mother and said in an earnest tone. "Mrs. Wesley, Josh requires an operation, he has suffered some blood loss as well, and I need you to give us some of your blood to help him."  
  
The mother agreed without a pause. Huan asked the other townsmen to leave so that he may concentrate on his operation. He then walked over to a cabinet and took out a mask with a tube extending from it's nostrils. The tube was connected to a huge bottle filled with clear fluid.  
  
"Please lay on that other bed, Mrs. Wesley. I will have to keep you asleep while I operate on Josh, because taking blood out of you would be very painful and you won't want to see your son being operated on." Huan smiled, "Please don't worry, everything will be fine."  
  
The mother said, "if my blood could save my Joshua, I'll do anything! Please save him, I wouldn't mind if I die if he were to live!!" The mother cried as she said that, and Huan hugged her gently. "Please don't worry, this really is not that difficult of an operation, now, I will have to make you fall asleep."  
  
The mother laid on top of the table and Huan put the mask on her. Huan used a pump to get the sleeping gas flowing, and the mother was asleep soon later.  
  
Huan then started operating on them.  
----------  
A few days later...  
  
"A mother and her son rests here in eternal embrace" a tombstone read in the Muse graveyard. Huan stood alone in front of the tombstone, and the gravekeeper came to talk to him.  
  
"How pitiful, husband killed in war, and one mother raising a child, and they die, just like that. What a world we live in." The gravekeeper spoke, his bent back wobbling. "Well, I suppose I will be out of work without people kicking the bucket, eh?" The gravekeeper cackled as he left Huan. Huan started walking home without a word.  
  
As he walked home, a townsman stopped Huan and said, "I heard about the   
Wesley's, too bad they were unable to make it. But if you were unable to heal them, who could have..." Huan looked at the townsman and said "The boy was at death's door, and although I told Mrs. Wesley that there is no hope, she insisted that I use her blood... she said she will take any risk. This result saddens me greatly..."  
  
The townsnman replied, "It's not your fault Dr. Huan, the stars of destiny must have fated this to happen."  
  
Huan got back to his clinic, and locked his door. He then entered his study and unlocked his log book. Within it, he read his previous day's entry.  
  
"Performed dissection on two specimens (Specimen A:7yr old, male/Specimen B:29 yr old, female) previously injected with sample bacteria collected from Lake Dunan. Incision on Specimen A's ankle showed bacterial infection reaching into the bones, replacing it with a brown, brittle, substance. Specimen B, previously prescribed with anti-bacterial tea, showed no sign of infestation.   
  
Performed further autopsy on both specimens for experimental purposes,   
extracted organs needed for further analysis and experimentation. Removed bacteria-affected bone from specimen A's leg."  
  
Huan closed the book and locked it. From beyond his glasses reflecting the flames of the candle, he smiled wickedly, as he laid his log book oh his table and withdrew to his quarters. 


	2. Stigmata

A cloaked figure walked on the sun-settled streets of Muse. The figure walked hastily with the hood covering the face completely.  
  
The figure turned into a narrow alley strewn with old barrels and half empty crates of odds and ends. After arriving at a old wooden door on the side of an old brick tenement, the figure knocked at the door. The door opened after a while, and a stern-faced man in a rune master's gown stood there. "Ah, its you, good friend. Come on in, what you have asked for is ready..."  
  
The man led the cloaked figure into a room waith appraising equipment, and then headed out into a hallway. They encountered a rune mistress in the hallway--the rune mistress just said "Good evening Master Lorentz..." and walked by the two. Lorentz just nodded and kept going.  
  
After going down a flight of stairs, Huan was led to a chamber with a huge pentagram engaved onto the floor. As the cloaked figure removed his hood, Lorentz then said, "Doctor Huan, here is what you asked for..." and pointed towards an atler on the other side of the pentagram. Huan dashed towards the altar, stepping through the pentagram and picked up a rune crystal filled with green light, and vague shapes that looked like black spots.  
  
"Does it do what I asked?" Huan asked as he gazed into the palm-sized   
crystal.  
  
Lorentz grinned an awkward grin--obviously he rarely smiles, "ofcourse Doctor Huan, do you take me for a fool? Ofcourse, it was not easy... infusing different runes to create a new one is a tecnique that only a few Rune Masters have acquired." Lorents emitted a small, annoyed chuckle.  
  
Lorentz walked towards a bookshelf against the wall beside the altar and pried out a book, "Take a look at this, doctor," and placed the book on the altar, opening it to a page.  
  
Huan took a look at the page that was titled "Merging Runes." The page went on about complex thories on the "Conjunctio Oppositorum"--a tendency of runes to be attracted to certain other runes. "You see doctor Huan, Rune Masterey is just like your profession... each rune is like a patient with a new disease, or a particularly comlicated sort of trauma." Lorentz let out a slight laugh, "excuse me for my vulgar comments, Doctor Huan... but you may understand, that when certain types of complications or diseases co-exist together, they end up becoming something more than twice potent than what the original was, and then again, sometimes they completely annihilate each other." Lorentz then held up the rune crystal.  
  
"But this, this is a masterpiece... a combination of quite unpopular runes... Chimera, Venom and Draining runes. The three runes melded while producing little residual material--at an amazing 88% infusion efficiency--it is a complete mesh... the power of this rune is yet to be determined, but the power you requested of... that power will definately be within this rune's achievable limit." Lorentz then looked straight into Huan's eyes and said, "so now you own this... I will go ahead and attach it to you. Where do you prefer it?"  
  
Huan said unemotionally, "On my left hand, please."  
  
Lorentz started to concentrate as he held Huan's left hand with his left hand and the rune crystal in his right hand.  
  
The rune crystal started to glow as Lorentz started to chant arcane words, "nobile corpus!" Lorentz yelled as he squeezed Huan's hands. Huan let out a yowl of pain.  
  
Lorentz continued with his chants, "...quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..."  
  
Lorentz continued as he raised his voice, "...quod de domino ad dominum   
movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..."  
  
After a while, Huan started to feel a burning sensation in his left hand. "It... it burns!" He complained.  
  
Lorentz continued, "Hoc est et sulphur rubeum, luminosum in tenebris et est hyacinthus rubeus et toxicum igneum et interficiens, et Leo victor et malefactor, et ensis scindens, et Tyriaca sanans omnem infirmitatem!"  
  
The rune crystal disappeared. and turned into a glowing green light. It then arced towards Huan's hands. As it struck Huan's hands, Lorentz let Huan's hands go, and a green flame enveloped Huan's hands.  
  
"It burns! Aaaaagh! The pain!!" Huan crouched in agony.  
  
Lorentz looked at Huan with a worried look, "This should not have happened!" He grabbed Huan's left rist and quickly chanted "humiditas inexterminabilus!" The flame went out immediately as Lorentz's water rune provided the necessary humidity to extinguish the flame.  
  
Huan lifted his left hand, and saw that it has been badly burned, muscle and sinew showing through burnt, bubbling, skin. However, a green glowing rune was present at the middle of his hand. "Please... take me to my house..." Huan said, as he fainted.  
  
------------Next Day  
  
Huan woke up on his bed, and realized that his left hand was bandaged, but keloid has alredy drenched the bandage.  
  
"So that wan't a dream..." Huan thought. He rose and went down to the clinic to dress his burn.  
  
As he removed the bandage from his left hand, Huan was unable to bear the pain, so he took out a anesthetic paste from a jar and dabbed a chunk of the paste on his hands. The cooling sensation chilled Huan's spines. Huan shivered as he removed all of the bandages.  
  
"This looks pretty bad," Huan thought as he calmly looked at his hand. His index and pinky finger's joints were showing, although still connected with tendons and muscle, it seemed like the membranes were badly damaged. Huan applied some antisceptic cream that he made from wild herbs and dressed his burn with clean bandages.  
  
As he completed the dressing, someone knocked at his door. "Dr. Huan! Dr. Huan!! Are you in??"  
  
Huan quickly opened the door, he saw a soldier of Muse standing there.  
Huan got nervous, "How may I help you... officer?" The solider went on,   
"Well, I had a bit too much to drink yesterday, and I have a very bad   
hangover... I was told this morning that I am going to be given a combat skills exam!!! I will fail like this, I am barely standing now!  
Do you have anything that could help me?"  
  
Huan asked the soldier in, "Sure officer, I have something that will cure you right away. Just sit down over here and remove your armor and shirt. The soldier removed his breast plate and shirt while Huan made himself look busy.   
  
"Now, I need you to close your eyes while I apply this medicine to your neck because the fumes from it sting your eyes." Huan applied some antisceptic cream on the neck of the solider, fully knowing that it will serve no purpose in removing the soldier's hangover. He then removed his bandage and started to concentrate on his hands... He then remembered the chant that Lorentz kept on repeating. "...quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..." Huan chanted under his voice.  
  
Suddenly, the rune on his burnt hand glowed a bright green, making the black blots of the rune more apparent. The light disappeared as one of the black blots turned white. The soldier then said in a loud voice, "How did you do that!!! That felt great!!"  
  
Huan immediatly hid his left hand in his robe. "W, well, it's just that this is such a good medicine, you know. Yes, this cream here, it is great in curing hangovers, yes."  
  
After thanking Huan profusely, the soldier left happily. Huan then locked the door to his house and hurried to his studies.  
  
He then recorded what has just happened. "...used newly acquired rune to cure patient of hangover..." He then looked at his hand. Then suddenly, he had a thought, and placed his left hand on his head, and started to chant. "...quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..." suddenly, Huan was hit with a severe hangover. "Ugh, this is terrible" Huan quickly chanted the words again as he tried to supress his body from trying to throw up. The feeling subsided as the rune glowed.  
  
Huan smiled as he finished recording on his log book, which read "I shall call this rune, 'The Plague Rune.'" 


	3. Fecundity

Amidst a downpour, a rank of soldiers trudged along a wet path towards the Muse-Highland Border. Protected by the soldiers was Doctor Huan in his medicinal gown and Master Lorentz in the robes of the rune master.  
  
"I wonder why Lady Annabelle wished us to inspect the battlefield?" Lorentz asked. Huan smiled, saying "Lady Annabelle has informed me that she wishes us to tend to the wounded soldiers who were involved in a recent skirmish somewhere near Kyaro." Huan looked at Lorentz; "She obviously had you in mind due to your reputation with your Water Rune?"  
  
Lorentz nodded, "And naturally so... even Grand Master Zenith can not use the flowing rune with the skill that I possess!"   
  
The party arrived at the border gate.  
  
"Where are the wounded kept?" Lorentz asked to the escort soldiers.  
  
A soldier replied loudly so he could be heard in the downpour, "They are all sheltered in a camp about a mile north from here!"  
  
Lorentz muttered, "...why set up camp in enemy territory..." but none of the soldiers heard him in the roaring rainfall.  
  
Huan also thought that it was strange how Muse is setting up a medic camp inside Highland territory, but he wasn't concerned with where troops should be located. "Let's go then," he said.  
  
  
  
  
After the party walked into a forest path for a while, Huan sensed the smell of decaying flesh. "Were the casualties buried?" Huan asked one of the soldiers.  
  
"The skirmish took place in the forest, some of the dead were never   
recovered... that's prolly why it stinks so much in the forest!" The soldier let out a laugh as he pinched his nose. Other soldiers laughed at the gesture.  
  
Huan looked at Lorentz and Lorentz nodded and said, "Doctor, I guess they have a good reason to keep the wounded in enemy territory. The rainy weather plus unburied corpses... the perfect recipe for an epidemic." Huan nodded, "yes, indeed." Lorentz did not see the subtle glimmer that shined within Huan's eyes as he uttered those words of confirmation.  
  
----------------------------  
  
After a while, the party came upon a crude camp surrounded by a newly erected fence. Even from far away, the grayness of the scenery made the camp a nauseating visage. As they got closer, the path turned increasingly muddy and difficult to traverse.  
  
"Doctor, this way." A tall soldier beckoned Huan to a "path" through the brushes. Lorentz and the other soldiers followed.  
  
The "path," which was nothing but a semi-traversable swamp, snaked its way towards the camp, the smell of carrion getting ever stronger as they progressed. "I'm getting a bit queasy, Doctor," Lorentz said in protest. Huan smiled and silently gave Lorentz an "antidote" vial.  
  
"Why, thanks doctor." Lorentz took the vial and pulled out the cork--the popping sound echoed through the forest. The soldiers were alarmed with the sudden, "pop," and looked around.  
  
A sound of leaves rustling was heard from not so far away, and the sound suddenly got louder as "something" got closer.  
  
"Monotaurs!" A soldier towards the back yelled. Huan looked back and saw taurean humanoids rush towards the soldiers. Huan looked at them in interest, but Lorentz screamed at his face, "We must get out of here! We don't encounter monsters like these around Muse!" Lorentz let out a whimpish scream as he beckoned Huan to run.  
  
The soldiers were well trained and were holding up quite well--  
  
Huan heeded Lorentz's warning, and ran away with Lorentz. He ran frantically inside the forest, but his body was unaccustomed to vigorous physical activity.  
  
"Wait Huan, I can't run any further." Lorentz gave up sooner than Huan. "You are already tired? How could we..." Huan suddenly felt something odd under his feet--something too hard to be mud, yet too supple to be hard earth. Huan knew this feeling, and as he looked down, he saw a rotting corpse--he was stepping on its arm. Huan was not surprised, Lorentz said, "this is a stinker!" Showing no surprise as he proceeded closer to look at the dead body.  
  
"Looks pretty old, good doctor, two months perhaps?" Lorentz said in an eerily cheerful tone.  
  
"Well, the decomposition seems to point to that, but..." Huan stopped mid-way as he lifted his feet from the corpse's arm and proceeded break a slender branch off a small tree. He then started using the stick to poke at the corpse.  
  
"Well well... this sure is strange. Internally "it" is good as new. It seems like "it" has been infected with a rare disease of some sort that speeds up superficial decomposition.  
  
Lorentz evoked an expression of concern on his face, "is it contagious?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so." Huan replied carelessly.  
  
"Then lets get the HELL out of here doctor!" Lorentz let out a whispered scream.  
  
"Wait wait, Master Lorentz, I have never seen this before... let me just take... a closer... look," Huan said while busily poking around with his stick. Suddenly the stick snapped when Huan put too much force into it, sending a piece of flesh flying towards Lorentz.  
  
"Ack! You got it on my robe! Now I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!" Lorentz screamed loudly in a high voice.  
  
Huan silently brought his index finger to his lips and said, "Shhhh, I'm about to figure something out here, could you please be quiet."  
  
Lorentz just shook his head and sighed, and as he lowered his gaze, something stared right back at him.  
  
"Whhwhwhwhwwhaaaaat!!??" Lorentz cowered back and tripped as he let out   
another cry. "Something's there! In the mud!"  
  
"Another dead body? Hmm, lets see." Huan abandoned the now dissected body and proceeded towards where Lorentz was.  
  
".... Help.... Me...." a weak voice was heard from the mud.  
  
Huan saw that a mound of mud was sticking out from a puddle that vaguely resembled a human head. Huan looked closer and said, "anyone there?"  
  
".... Yes.... Help...." The "head" moved slightly as if trying to nod.  
  
Huan beckoned Lorentz to come closer. "We have a survivor here deep in the mud. Come, help me get him out!"  
  
Lorentz grudgingly stood up and dragged himself to the mud patch, he then said, "Okay Huan, I guess this is what we are supposed to do anyways, right?"  
  
Huan nodded, and the two started to pull the body out of the mud. The body was a boy, but he showed the same symptom as the dead body nearby, and he was covered with festering scabs.  
  
Lorentz used his water rune on the boy, but nothing happened. "I think my rune has no effect on maladies of this nature, good doctor."  
  
"Okay then, I will try using this..." Huan started to take the bandage off of his right hand, revealing his unhealing hand and the Plague Rune. He brought the palm of his hand to the boy's forehead and started to concentrate as he chanted arcane words, "Quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..."  
  
Suddenly, green light erupted from Huan's left hand, slowly inching towards the boy like an army of worms marching towards carrion. The green tendrils of light circled around the boy and slowly enveloped him, and eventually the boy was completely covered with green light.  
  
Huan continued with his incantations--"Quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..."  
  
Lorentz watched at the side with his eyes wide-open, "This is most   
extraordinary! My skill on 'Melding' has reached such heights!" Lorentz made a crooked grin, green light reflecting upon his unnatural facial expression.  
  
The green light slowly started to pale, turning white, and then   
transparent--gradually revealing the boy's body. Finally, the light   
disappeared completely, and another spot on Huan's Plague Rune turned white.  
  
The boy laid on the ground, with all of his scabs gone, he remained   
unconscious. Huan saw that there was visually nothing wrong with the boy any longer. Lorentz said with a chuckle, "So Huan, you've turned into a miracle worker! Perhaps you could start your own religion now?"  
  
Huan replied, "Okay, lets take the boy to Muse."  
  
"But what about the camp?" Lorentz asked.  
  
"I got a specimen here," Huan lifted his left hand, "and I want to take a look at this boy to see if the rune was truly effective."  
  
"But the camp? Lady Annabelle's request?" Lorentz said in a sarcastic tone.  
  
Huan looked at Lorentz with a blank stare, "It's probably no use, I have no idea what this disease is, and I imagine the people in the camp have the same disease. It will be better to take a look at this disease closely first--in my laboratory..."  
  
Huan carried the boy and left with Lorentz. The rain stopped, and the journey back was quite uneventful. Huan wondered what happened to those soldiers, but the thought passed soon.  
  
----------------  
  
Huan was back at his clinic, writing in his diary. The boy was unconscious and lying on a bed in the clinic.  
  
"Found new disease. I feel great joy in this new discovery. Took a specimen with my rune and a specimen that seems to have been cured. Plan to experiment with both specimens at a later date. Met with Lady Annabelle, congratulated for saving boy, and given 2 million potch to find cure for disease..."  
  
Huan closed the book, locked it, and retired to his bedroom. 


	4. Purulence

"Mommy, I was soo scared! I want to huggle-snuggle..." a voice said within   
darkness.  
  
"poor little boy, come here," a soft female voice responded along with the   
sound of rustling sheets.  
  
"You're so warm and soft, mommy."  
  
"What made you so scared, dear?" the soft voice replied, filled with   
compassion.  
  
"Big meanies tried to kill me in the forest, big monsters! I was sooo   
scared...·the voice started to tremble. "I was SOO SCARED!" the voice burst   
into wailing, but was subsequently muffled as if pressed against a soft   
surface.  
  
"There you go, my dear... my beautiful boy... my smart boy..." the voice   
trailed off into silence as if drowned by the impenetrable darkness.  
  
"Mommy..." the man's voice trailed off, and sounds of rustling garments   
followed.  
  
Suddenly, the air within the room was sheared by three loud knocks on the   
door. A voice followed, "Grand Master Zenith? Have you seen Master Lorentz?   
The doctor is here to see him."  
  
"Yes Master Gretchen, he is here. He will be sent down, you are dis-missed."   
Zenith said in a harsh tone.  
  
"Ignis Luminae," Zenith spoke, and the room was suddenly dimly lit. The room   
was regally decorated with sophisticated tapestries, the various metallic   
ornaments and talismans made of various materials--ivory, crystal, bone...   
deflected the dim light lazily. Lorentz was cuddling beside Zenith on a   
lavish bed. Zenith slowly woke up as she adjusted her loosely bound   
raven-hair.  
  
Lorentz stared at her back from behind--her purple gown was loosely hanging   
from her shoulders, exposing her milk-white skin. His eyes traversed above to   
the nape of her neck, where he was tempted to suck on the exquisite curvature   
of unmarred ivory. While these thoughts coursed through his head, she turned   
back and looked at him--her alluring purple eyes stared down at him, filled   
with both motherly compassion and lupine mystique. Her blood-red lips started   
to move, and words were uttered at Lorentz, but Lorentz did not hear them, he   
was entranced by the movement of Zenith's lips.  
  
"Can you hear me dear?" Zenith asked as she tilted her head slightly, a faint   
smile putting a curve onto her lips.  
  
"Thy lips drop as the honeycomb--honey and milk are under thy tongue, and the   
smell of thy garments is like the smell of Kanakan," Lorentz suddenly spoke as   
if in a trance.  
  
Zenith extended her index finger towards Lorentz's forehead and gave a light   
push, "you better go play with your friend now, snooks." She then stood up   
from the bed and picked up a white shawl, draping it on her shoulders   
carelessly. "You should go now."  
  
"Yes, excuse me, Grand Master Zenith,·Lorentz replied automatically, stood up   
from the bed, and quickly headed towards the door. As he exited, he saw   
Zenith looking out the window; her face lit up with moonlight. He thought she   
looked at him, but Lorentz proceeded downstairs.  
  
Lorentz entered the sitting room, and saw Huan lounging on a sofa and speaking   
to Master Gretchen.  
  
"...yes, the battle was terrible, the minotaurs outnumbered us but it was no   
big deal... Oh, greetings Master Lorentz!" Huan briefly looked at Lorentz,   
but again fixed his gaze on Gretchen.  
  
Lorentz wondered if Huan was trying to tempt Gretchen. "Yes, she is a fair   
maiden--I assume she is a maiden, at least--she is still young" Lorentz   
thought. Nevertheless, the idea of Huan pursuing such "human" ends was   
something Lorentz was unable to imagine. "So, to what pleasure do I owe you   
for your sudden visit, Doctor?" Lorentz interjected.  
  
Huan replied, "Oh, sorry Master Lorentz, come come, just take a seat, I was   
just explaining our recent adventure to Master Gretchen"  
  
Lorentz felt uneasy, why was Huan telling Gretchen about the recent "episode"   
and why does he even know her name? Moreover, why isn't Gretchen leaving them   
alone when it is obvious that Huan smells like he just came from the   
graveyard?  
  
"Well, I shall excuse myself now, excuse me, Doctor Huan, Master Lorentz."   
Gretchen suddenly stood up as if she was able to tell Lorentz's suspicion.   
Her red robes streamed behind her as she passed by Lorentz, spreading an aroma   
of myrrh.  
  
The moment Gretchen left, Lorentz leapt at Huan and asked in a hushed voice,   
"why the HELL do you know her?"  
  
Huan sensed jealousy in Lorentz's voice, but replied simply, "She sometimes   
helps me with research on anatomy, she has talent."  
  
"Oh... okay," Lorentz replied, satisfied with the defense. "So? Do you need   
me for something, or is this just a friendly visit?"  
  
Huan pulled a tome out of his gown. The book had a cover made of thick   
leather, cracked and frayed at the edges. There was no title written on the   
outside. "May I?" Lorentz said. Huan nodded.  
  
Lorentz opened the tome, and immediately he was shocked. He did not   
understand a word that was said in the pages. Lorentz leafed through the   
pages, and he saw diagrams that looked like anatomical diagrams, but it was   
unclear what exactly was depicted.  
  
Huan was able to tell that Lorentz had no idea, and said, "I was hoping that   
you could make sense out of this, but..."  
  
Lorentz replied, "I have no idea what language this book is written in! I   
have never seen anything like this! Where did you get it from?"  
  
"The City gave it to me, apparently the book was rotting in old Darrel's   
attic. The good mayor was cleaning out the attic and found this book. She   
thought it was an anatomical text so she just gave it to me." Huan shifted   
forward and grabbed the tome. "Oh well, I guess it was better than not   
trying."  
  
As Huan reached out, Lorentz grabbed Huan's hand. "Wait, I'll show this to   
Lebrante, our resident appraiser. He has his atelier on the second floor,   
follow me." Lorentz pulled his hood over his head and led the way. Huan was   
surprised that Lorentz was acting at such levels of efficiency. Huan knew   
that Lorentz was a top-notch runemaster, but he rarely took initiative when   
there is nothing for him to gain. "The book must have contained something to   
his interest," Huan reasoned.  
  
Lorentz and Huan ascended the stairs and walked through a narrow hallway,   
strewn with old books and various tools of runemasters. All of these were   
collecting dust, which swirled in a mad dance as Lorentz and Huan hastily trod   
through. The two approached a door at the end of the hallway. The door was   
shabby, and a sign had a symbol of one single eye etched. Lorentz knocked.   
"Lebrante, I have something to show you!"  
  
Huan saw light through the cracks in the door. The door opened and a bald man   
with a spectacle stood there, holding a brass candleholder with two black   
candles sticking from it. The bald man spoke in an impish voice, "What a   
pleasure to see you Master Lorentz and Master Lamirez, and you have brought   
guests!! And these men are?"  
  
Lorentz winked at Huan and replied, "This is Doctor Huan, and this is Doctor   
Guan, they are twins." Huan realized that the man--Lebrante, had an extremely   
crooked glance. He wondered how in the world someone like this could be an   
appraiser.  
  
"Well well, please come into my humble abode! Becareful of those two bundles   
of books on the floor! Yes, and what is your pleasure?" The man smiled,   
exposing perfect rows of white teeth.  
  
Lorentz held out the tome. Lebrante carefully took the tome and laid it on a   
table nearby. The table had a sophisticated apparatus attached to it on a   
hinge, with various spectacles, scales, and measuring devices attached.   
Lebrante took a small knife and scratched on the surface of the book, scraping   
off a bit of the leather cover. He then licked the knife.  
  
"Hmm... this taste... Oh yes!! This could only be Furfur leather from the   
Nameless Lands! It is quite aged as well... approximately... 600 years or   
so?" Lebrante spat out the little leather piece onto the floor. Huan smiled   
in amazement at such an odd human "specimen."  
  
Lebrante proceeded to look at the contents. He opened a box, which was filled   
with gloves made of used clothing. He carefully opened the tome, and   
immediately screamed, "UNBELIEVABLE!!!!" The sudden change in the bald man's   
demeanor shocked Huan and Lorentz, but Lebrante continued, "UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!"  
Lebrante slammed the apparatus over the book and started looking through some   
of the spectacles, calibrating them carefully. "Yes, yes yes YES!!" Lebrante   
started rubbing his head as his face turned red from excitement.  
  
"What is it, Lebrante?" Lorentz said.  
  
"This tome is written in Sindarin!" Lebrante's eyes glimmered as he uttered   
those words.  
"This is an original copy of the Sindar Engineer, Dennis Taurer's 'Conversa   
Terra et Pneuma' before it was translated to the 'ancient tongue' by the   
alchemist Bora Atkins! Only from a quick skim, any bloke could see there is a   
lot more material in here compared to the translation!"  
  
"So, that means...·Huan said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, this means that Bora Atkins was a lousy translator!!" Lebrante was   
foaming at his mouth, and rubbing his head furiously. "I hate lousy   
translators! They always leave out important information... bastards!...   
stupid... malodorous..." Lebrante's rant became unintelligible as he started   
to gaze at the text again.  
  
"Come again in a fortnight, Master Lorentz, Master Lamirez, and Doctor Huan   
and Doctor Guan, I'll have these two books translated to the "ancient tongue'   
by then..." Lebrante said as he continued to stare through the apparatus.  
  
Huan and Lorentz promptly left Lebrante's atelier, and headed downstairs.  
  
"So Huan, what happened to that boy we rescued the other day?" Lorentz asked   
casually.  
  
"Oh him, Master Gretchen is 'taking care' of him·Huan answered in a voice   
devoid of emotion. The dim light reflected off his glasses as he continued.   
"He died, Master Gretchen is helping me with the autopsy."  
  
"I didn't know that Master Gretchen was helping you to such degrees! No   
wonder she has been researching about the lost 'Rune of Healing'" Lorentz   
ended up speaking to himself, due to Huan continuing forth, paying no heed to   
Lorentz's comments.  
  
"Thank you Master Lorentz, I'll be back in a fortnight," Huan said as he   
disappeared down the stairs.  
  
"No need to escort me out, I know my way around here. I am sure you are busy   
with your own research." Huan said as he disappeared, his voice ever so   
emotionless.  
  
After seeing Huan leave through a window on the second floor, Lorentz walked   
towards Grand Master Zenith's chamber.  
  
---------  
  
Huan returned to his clinic. Darkness greeted him as he opened the door and   
entered. "Gretchen..." Huan spoke as she sniffed the air, which was imbued   
with the aroma of myrrh.  
  
"Doctor, I am down here!" Gretchen's young voice echoed from downstairs--the   
morgue.  
  
Huan proceeded without lighting any of the lamps; he knew where things were in   
the dark. He navigated himself through the darkness to a stairway that lead   
to the morgue. As he walked downstairs down the spiral stairway, light   
started to illuminate the darkness, almost blinding him with the contrast.   
However, by the time he reached the bottom, his eyes were accustomed to the   
light.  
  
Gretchen was facing the other way, standing over a table where a boy's cadaver   
was placed. Her hands were moving busily.  
  
"So, how is the sampling going, my apprentice?" Huan said as he walked slowly   
towards Gretchen. "Have you found anything interesting in this specimen?"  
  
Huan placed his hand on Gretchen's shoulder as he looked down at the   
"specimen" from above.  
Gretchen was surprised that Huan actually touched her, but carried on with her   
autopsy.  
  
"You have improved very much my apprentice! You haven? made any unnecessary   
incisions nor have you forgotten to drain the blood out... oh oh oh... wait a   
minute..." As Gretchen was in the process of slicing a portion off of the   
liver, Huan suddenly held Gretchen's hand gently. "Not like that... you have   
to slice it... like this. There you go!" Huan said.. Flushed, Gretchen   
looked back at Huan's face and saw that he was smiling very warmly.  
  
"What is the matter Gretchen? Angry that I interfered your work?" Huan said   
with a chuckle.  
  
"No, master... I am just... grateful for being your student,·Gretchen said as   
she turned back and looked down at the cold, stone floor.  
  
Huan stared at Gretchen. She was a 21 year old girl, her blue eyes sparkled   
with naivete even from beyond her glasses, while her jet black hair was kept   
neatly in a bun. Her cheeks were still flushed, which with her ghastly white   
skin made her cheeks look like two ripe peaches. "Take a rest, Gretchen, you   
are tired."  
  
"Yes, master," Gretchen said as she started to clean up the autopsy tools.  
  
"I will be in my chambers, Gretchen,·Huan said as he started walking   
upstairs.  
  
Huan returned to his study, and opened his diary. He opened the diary to an   
entry two days ago, which read, "specimen conscious, however, showed sudden   
symptoms of trauma, heart failure followed." Huan added a note saying, "cause   
unknown," and closed the diary.  
  
Suddenly, Gretchen entered the study, "I am finished, master," she said.  
  
"Good, just wait upstairs, I'll soon follow." Huan said unemotionally as   
Gretchen left.  
  
Huan locked his diary and retired to his chambers. 


	5. Metastasis

Huan climbed up the stars in his clinic up to his bedroom. His left hand was starting to ache. Since the time he absorbed the "boy's" disease, a faint pain has been annoying him.  
  
"Oh well, I'll let her take care of it." Huan thought as he slowly paced up the steps.  
  
Huan slowly entered his bedroom. Gretchen was standing next to the bed; a bowl of hot water, towels, and a strange box was placed on a sideboard. Gretchen was moving busily, but Huan was unable to see her from behind.   
  
"I hope it will work this time, Gretchen," Huan spoke as he dragged himself towards the bed.  
  
Gretchen turned around, a full smile on her face--"This time, I am sure it will work, doctor!"   
  
Huan climbed into his bed and laid down, awaiting Gretchen's treatment.   
  
Gretchen took Huan's left hand, and started unwrapping the bandages. Gretchen showed no surprise as the near skeletal form of Huan's hand was revealed. Gretchen then opened the odd box. The box had many compartments, which had labels on each compartment. Huan was able to read some of it by turning his head--"sal, absinthe, aqua vitae, aurum, argentum,..." Gretchen poured the bottle that said "aqua vitae" into the bowl of hot water, and sprinkled a bit of "sal." Then she started to chant arcane words of the "ancient tongue"--  
  
"Et lapis hic avis, et non lapis aut avis hic est. Nunc spuma maris vel acetum, nonc quoque gemma salis, Almisadir sal generalis. Nunc mare purgatum cum sulphure purificatum..."  
  
She then soaked a towel into the bowl. After letting it soak, she wore rubber gloves, and took the towel out. She then said, "Dr. Huan, now, this is going to hurt, okay?"  
  
Huan was worried with this comment, but he silently grit his teeth as Gretchen applied the towel to his left hand. Intense pain shot through his nerves, assaulting his brain with the speed of light. Huan immediately fainted.  
  
---------------  
  
Huan was walking along a rocky beach. Smooth pebbles the size of eggs littered the beach. Huan was walking along the beach, smelling the salt in the air. The sky was gray, and the wind was strong. It even felt like it was raining but Huan wasn't sure--it didn't matter. After a while, he saw a hooded human figure standing on a huge rock that jutted out of the beach just at the edge of the sea. Behind the rock was a huge cliff. The human figure was hooded, and was wearing a white cloak. From afar, Huan was able to hear a faint, growling voice from the figure. "...se who pl... blood shall...sters" Then the figure lifted his or her arm, and pointed diagonally downwards, right where the waves were crashing against the rock. Huan suddenly felt tremendous fear, and started to run away.  
  
Huan opened his eyes and saw Gretchen and looking at him worried. Huan's eyes bulged. "What, what happened!?"   
  
"You finally woke up! You just fainted, Doctor. The pain must have been a bit too much! You were asleep for about 11 hours." Gretchen answered, as always with her Northern Harmonian accent.   
  
"Gretchen, which part of Harmonia were you from?" Huan suddenly asked as if an idea struck him.  
  
"Why Dr. Huan, what makes you curious? I was born in Sanadia in Northwestern Harmonia." Gretchen answered joyously--Huan has never showed any interest in her background.  
  
"Oh yes, Sanadia, I hear they were defeated by Harmonia a while back, and that citizens there are being treated as slaves--as third-class citizens. Is that true?"   
  
Gretchen replied, "Yes Doctor, that is why I escaped Harmonia in the first place! It is horrible how they treat slaves in Harmonia! They are legally 'non-human!'"  
  
Gretchen didn't see Huan smile behind her. "Indeed, that is terrible," Huan said unemotionally.  
  
"I need to do some tests on that specimen's blood sample..." Huan woke up from the bed, and then saw that his left hand was covered in an odd-looking glove. The glove was made of black leather, and did not cover his fingers. Oddly, his fingers were completely cured as well. The glove had a rune embedded upon it, a "rune of healing."  
  
"Do you like it? It is a glove with a rune of healing sewn into it! It should help with that bad hand of yours." Gretchen said as she helped Huan up.   
  
Huan felt dizzy as he got on his feet; "It looks like I am not in the condition to do any experiments! Gretchen, could you help me by testing the BAC level of the specimen's blood sample?" Huan said as he sat back into the bed.  
  
Gretchen suddenly looked down at the floor and said, "Sorry doctor... I... got rid of the blood sample..."  
  
"What!? How could we possibly figure out how the boy died? How did you throw it away? Just a trace would be enough." Huan showed rare fury.  
  
"Sorry doctor, I threw it away with treating ammonia."   
  
"What!? That means even if we found a trace of it, the blood is useless. You know that Gretchen... Why did you do that?" Huan's voice was regaining his cold assurance.  
  
"I... just didn't want you to be blamed..." Gretchen replied.  
  
"Blamed of?"  
  
"Killing that boy..."  
  
"Nonsense!" Huan laughed at Gretchen's comment.  
  
"But I know doctor. I know the powers of that rune you bear on your left hand, and I tested the boy's blood myself... he died from complications resulting from alcohol poisoning!" Gretchen said with determination.  
  
"Is that true? Why didn't you tell me that Gretchen? That explains it--the power of this rune." Huan lifted his left hand.   
  
"You see Gretchen, I cured a Muse soldier suffering from a severe hangover using this rune. He was a huge soldier, so his body was probably able to handle all the alcohol. Then, when I found that boy in the forest, I used this rune again to heal his disease. I assume what happened is that the same amount of alcohol was introduced into the boy's body when I cured his disease, which means..."  
  
"The next person you use that rune on will end up getting the boy's disease?" Gretchen finished Huan's sentence.  
  
"Precisely my young apprentice!" Huan replied with joy.  
  
"Then we must somehow remove the disease from your rune, master," Gretchen said earnestly.  
  
"No need for that, we just need to find some other specimen to transfer the disease to. That way we could study it and figure out a way to cure it."   
  
"But that would be wrong!" Gretchen said.  
  
"Yes Gretchen, but we who deal with medicine must measure right and wrong from a different perspective. The Medical Arts exists for the betterment of humanity at large. A few dozen lives sacrificed to save a few hundred is obviously justified. You see what I mean don't you young apprentice?" Huan smiled as he said that.  
  
"Ofcourse, I see what you mean master, I see, I see!" Gretchen replied happily.  
  
"Good, well then, lets go out for a walk. Perhaps we will find some nearly dead person lying around in the back streets. I need some fresh air."  
  
Huan walked downstairs, still dizzy, and Gretchen followed him. The two the got ready to leave and left the clinic together in search of their prey.  
  
They left the clinic and walked towards the back street. They heard the sounds of the blacksmiths hammering at hot iron in the distance. The two passed by a small alley that led to Lebrante's atelier. Huan wondered whether there was any progress, but he kept on.  
  
"This place gets dirtier this time of year, master." Gretchen said as she looked at the broken barrels and boxes strewn in the alley.   
  
Huan agreed with her as he nodded. The two were already in the back streets which was called the "street of the bards." The old brick buildings over three hundred years old were packed against each other, leaving little room for anything. Clothes hanged on clothlines above as the two walked below.   
  
"Not much life around here is there," Huan said in disappointment. "I was hoping there would be some dying beggar or perhaps even a stray cat or dog."  
  
Huan felt odd that there was no answer from Gretchen. He turned back and realized that she was nowhere to be seen. Huan was in a panic. He suddenly felt defenseless as he stood alone in the back streets. He thought that could easily become a target by thugs that roam the backstreets because he is a famous doctor in Muse. He felt safe with Gretchen knowing that she was a highly skilled runemistress--she would have burnt the living hell out of any thug. Huan checked to see if he had his scalpel. He found a few scalpels strapped inside one of his pockets, which gave him some confidence. He walked back towards where he came from, looking for Gretchen.  
  
Suddenly he was grabbed from behind by someone with tremendous strength and dragged into a building. He was violently thrown onto the ground. He saw Gretchen bound up and lying on the floor of this small spartan room. She was gagged.  
  
He then saw a man in rags, a huge and ugly man, staring down at them. Huan grabbed a few of his scalpels and stood up. He heard Gretchen emit some noise as she protested.  
  
"Let us go and you will live," Huan said as he flashed out four scalpels at the ugly man.   
  
The thug drew a short sword and snarled. Huan threw his scalpels at the thug, but the thug effortlessly deflected them, or they missed him altogether. The thug tackled Huan and slammed him against the wall, breaking Huan's glasses.   
  
"Ugh!" Huan was pinned against the wall. The thug's breath smelled like rotten cabbage as he smiled at Huan, sliding his sword between him and Huan's throat.  
  
Huan heard Gretchen screaming beyond her gag. Huan looked at Gretchen, which wad difficult through his broken glasses, but she was sending him signals with her eyes. She looked at Huan's eyes and then looked at his left hand.   
  
Huan understood what she meant. As the thug was getting ready to slit Huan's throat, Huan chanted under his breath. "...quod de domino ad dominum movetur, in cuius initio sit miseria cum aceto..."   
  
Green light suddenly enveloped the thug as he darted back. His ugly physique got uglier as his skin started to bubble and ooze with puss. He screeched in agony as his body started to rot, and fell to the floor. He flipped and flopped like a fish out of water. Huan quickly picked up a scalpel and removed Gretchen's bonds.   
  
As Gretchen was freed, she hugged Huan, "I was sooo scared!" She started to cry. Huan was also quite scared at what just happened himself, so being hugged by Gretchen gave him some much needed courage.  
  
The thug suddenly spoke, "...help..."  
  
Huan walked beside the thug and picked up the short sword that was cast aside.   
  
The thug said again, "...help me... it hurts..."  
  
Huan quickly thrusted the sword down at the thug's heart end ended his misery.  
  
"Gretchen, collect a blood sample from this specimen. We have some work to do." Huan said unemotionally as he cast the sword down towards the corner of the room.   
  
"Yes master!" Gretchen answered cheerfully as she took out a syringe case.   
  
After Gretchen collected the blood sample, Huan told Gretchn to burn the thug's corpse to prevent the disease from spreading. Gretchen used her Rage rune to incenerate the thug's body. The two then headed back to the clinic to study the blood sample... 


	6. Transmutation

"It's sooo boring." Zenith said as she looked out the window. "Of course, I am famous and all that, but there's just no excitement in my life you know... sigh, I am at my worst."  
  
  
  
"'And worst I may be yet. The worst is not so long as you can say This is the worst' Grand Masters Zenith and Lenith..." a creepy voice spoke from behind Zenith.   
  
Startled, Zenith looked back--it was Lebrante in his red coat, his eyes were wandering astray as usual. "Oh my, I did not even hear you enter, what beckons you here professor?" Zenith quickly stood poised and collected.  
  
"Well, I have completed the small task you have given me, the translation of that Sindarin text! It was quite something, you would want to hear this oh Grand Master Zenith... oh yes and Grand Master Lenith, not to ignore you or anything, he he." Lebrante's eyes wandered across the room aimlessly, making Zenith somewhat dizzy.  
  
"Don't worry about... Lenith, she is ill and can't speak, do go on, and tell me what you have found professor." Zenith took out her spectacle and lifted it onto her right eye as she peered into the book that Lebrante spread on her table.  
  
"Look here milady," Lebrante pointed at a diagram that looked like a map with a tree at the center. "You comprehend Sindarin milady?"  
  
"It's all Aronian to me, but I understand some of it... Nuncieo Ende Towayo... what does that mean professor?"  
  
Lebrante's face lit up with excitement as she shifted to Zenith's side, he pointed at the words in question and said enthusiastically, "That is the incredible part, this is phonetic elfin transliterated to Sindarin. Nuncieo Ende Towayo is an elfin city that existed on a huge tree, and according to this book, this tree is the "Tree of Solidarity."  
  
"Professor, you don't say... then you mean Muse is...?" Zenith knew the answer already, but acted dumb.  
  
"Milady, the Tree of Solidarity once stood on Jowston Hill. It was where the great General Jowston defeated an invasion by Highland 153 years ago! According to this book, a Sindarin city lies beneath what we now call 'Muse'!" Lebrante's eyes bulged as he said 'Muse,' and his speech became interrupted with saliva in his mouth.  
  
"A Sindarin city under Muse?? Does it say how we could enter?"  
  
"Of course milady, here, I will show you, I have it all figured out!  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
(Scene changes to Huan's clinic)  
  
"Here it is Doctor, we appreciate your help in this matter," a Muse official said as he game Huan a bag filled with potch.  
  
"No no no, it is my pleasure to be able to help my fellow citizens, I am just doing my duty," Huan said as he smiled.  
  
"Indeed you are a model citizen Doctor, we ought to build a statue of yours in our city hall!"  
  
"You flatter me, please send my greetings to Lady Annabelle, I am always willing to aid Muse in whatever manner, it gets quite boring being a doctor you know!" Huan joked with a smile.  
  
"I will be sure to tell that to the mayor, Doctor Huan. Now if you will excuse me I must get back to the city hall." The man left the clinic.  
  
Huan closed the door after the official left. He took the bag and emptied it on a table in his living room. Wads of potch piled up on the table--totaling 2 million potch. Huan sat on a nearby sofa, tired from exchanging formalities with the official. He slunk in the chair as he stared at the potch.   
  
Huan heard some noise from the basement, he knew it was Gretchen conducting some experiments on a dead dog she found outside. "Might as well help my apprentice..." Huan spoke to himself as he trudged down the staircase.  
  
As Huan walked downstairs, he heard Gretchen growling--  
  
"You have one tough sets of ligaments old puppy!" She said while it appeared like she was pulling the poor dead dog apart.  
  
Huan rushed down, "wait a minute Gretchen, what are you trying to do here?" Huan quickly rushed to Gretchen's side and took a look at the dead dog. It was a complete mess.  
  
"Doctor I was just trying to..." Gretchen looked over her shoulder and turned back at Huan.  
  
"I see... and what was the premise of your vivisection Gretchen?"  
  
"I was trying to locate the spleen, master." Gretchen replied shamefully.  
  
Huan looked at Gretchen, her apron was covered with blood, and he even saw some blood on her face. "Gretchen, do not move, just stay still."  
  
Huan took a clean towel out of a cabinet, he looked at Gretchen earnestly and said, "Now, do not move--at all--Gretchen."  
  
Gretchen didn't even nod. Huan carefully wiped the blood off of Gretchen's face. His pinky finger touched her lips while he wiped the blood--Gretchen was startled, no man has ever touched her lips. "There, now go wash your face with disinfectant. Have I not told you to make sure you draw the blood out of specimens before you perform vivisection? What if that dog had some disease, you could have been infected! Then where could I possibly find an apprentice to replace you Gretchen, now, go disinfect yourself." Huan said with a slight smile. Gretchen was surprised that Huan smiled at her, and even showed that he cared about her well-being. "You actually care about me master?" Gretchen thought out loud, and immediately regretted it as her pale cheeks blushed. "Of course, you are my apprentice. You are more precious to me than any other living human being. Now, lets go wash your face shall we, and leave that bloody apron in the laundry basket." Gretchen was startled as Huan abruptly undid her apron and threw it in the laundry basket for lab clothes.  
  
"What are you waiting for, up the stars now, we will clean the dog up later." Huan said with laughter in his voice.  
  
Gretchen was dumbstruck, she thought "'more precious to me than any other living human being'? Is this a confession of love?? From the number one doctor of all Jowston? And I just let him take my apron off!" Gretchen quickly ran upstairs and rushed towards where the disinfectant was kept, she didn't want Huan to see her red face. However, as she rushed--  
  
"Whoa!" a male voice said as Gretchen rammed into whomever it was. Gretchen screamed as she bounced off.  
  
"What are you doing here Master Gretchen," it was Lorentz. He gazed at Gretchen with his deep-set eyes from beyond the darkness of his hood.  
  
"Ah, Master Lorentz, it's good of you to come," Huan appeared from the staircase. "What brings you here at this time of day?"  
  
"Huan, it's still early afternoon for your information. Anyhow, the Grand Master wishes to see you. It's about the Sindarin text you've brought in, come on, let's see what it says in there. It's rare that the Grand Master herself to take interest in these things." Huan noted that Lorentz's speech was forceful at the beginning, but trailed off weakly towards the end--as always.  
  
"Oh yes, Gretchen, hurry up and disinfect yourself. I have to do some business with Master Lorentz here..." Huan said without even looking back at Gretchen.  
  
"Yes master" Gretchen said cheerfully as she disappeared into the doorway.  
  
Lorentz immediately came close to Huan and whispered, "You make her call you master!? What is wrong with you, she is a rune master just like myself you know."  
  
"She is my apprentice, Lorentz. Now, what was it about those Sindarin texts?" Huan said as he looked away from Lorentz.  
  
"I mean, she has some research to do herself, being a rune master and all, you know." Lorentz said.  
  
"Lorentz, I did not ask her to be my apprentice. Why don't you ask your questions to her instead." Huan said as he walked towards the stairs leading up. "If that is all you have to say, please pardon me Lorentz, but I need to get some rest."  
  
"Wait a minute, you just have to meet Grand Master Zenith, she'll get all angry at me if I don't get you there," Lorentz whined.  
  
Huan looked back at Lorentz, "What does she want with me, I though she disliked all those that practice medicine or any of the arts derived from alchemy."  
  
"Well," Lorentz paused, "Lebrante finished deciphering the Sindarin text you brought in, and apparently the Grand Master found something interesting within, she said it spoke of the 'Summa Medicina.'"  
  
"Okay, I will visit after I clean up the mess downstairs. See you then, Lorentz." Huan disappeared as he walked upstairs.  
  
Lorentz muttered to himself, "he could be such an ass..." and left towards the entrance. Gretchen came out from one of the rooms of the clinic as he was about to leave.  
  
"Oh, Master Lorentz, you are leaving already? Your business with Master Huan is done?" Gretchen asked.  
  
Lorentz stared at her from beyond his hood, watching Gretchen's face's that has just been washed--her skin was flushed and moist. He didn't utter a word, and Gretchen wasn't quite able to see Lorentz's face, but uttered uncomfortably, "A.. are you well, Master Lorentz?"  
  
Lorentz suddenly started speaking, "The Trismegistic Council may not like what you are doing, Master Gretchen. Delving into any of the sub-alchemic arts is considered a minor ethos violation of the 'Runic Code." He proceeded to exit the clinic, "I would be weary if I were you."  
  
"Oh, Master Lorentz, thanks for worrying, but this is all a part of my research of the healing rune. Would you like to hear what I found out? I was going back to the shop anyways, so I would appreciate it if you would listen and give me some feedback on the way!" Gretchen said in an overly cheerful tone.  
  
Lorentz was disconcerted by Gretchen's unpredictable reply to his direct criticism of Gretchen's behavior as a Rune Master, but nevertheless he replied, "Of course, I would be interested to hear your progress, Master Gretchen."  
  
"Thank you Master Lorentz!" Gretchen exclaimed, "Let me go get my things... oh yes, and please don't call me 'Master Gretchen,' my name will just do fine!" Gretchen took off downstairs.  
  
Lorentz waited nervously as he shuffled around, adjusting his hood and robe. After a while he heard footsteps running from downstairs and Gretchen appeared. "Sorry to keep you waiting Master Lorentz," Gretchen said as she smiled.  
  
The two were about to leave when Gretchen suddenly screamed, "Oh yes! I was about to forget. Master Huan!!! Maaaaster Huaaaan!!" Gretchen yelled upstairs.  
  
"What!!" Huan's voice echoed back angrily.  
  
"I finished cleaning the puppy dog!!" Gretchen screamed.  
  
"Good!!" Huan's voice yelled back.  
  
"Okay, let's go Master Lorentz." The two left the clinic.  
  
Upstairs, Huan was adding an entry into his Diary--  
  
"The 'Summa Medicina,' who would have thought it would be so close, literally under my feet. The compendium of the highest Sindarin medical knowledge. If I acquire such knowledge, I could surely surpass that old bastard Liukan, and prove to him that his "medical ethics' is all just a bunch of antiquated dogmatism." Huan closed his diary as he wrote that, and prepared to leave the clinic to head to the Rune shop.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
(Scene changes to the Muse Rune Shop)  
  
Huan entered the rune shop and was immediately greeted by Gretchen, "Hello again master, please follow me, the Grand Master is waiting upstairs in her lab."  
  
Huan has never gone into Zenith's personal lab, so he was curious what it was like. He didn't like Zenith himself because she seemed haughty and full of herself for being a Grand Master, but he also knew that she was highly skilled. Huan nodded at Gretchen and followed her upstairs.  
  
"The Grand Master is quite excited with this find, I have never seen her so excited before!" Gretchen said as the two of them ascended the steps.  
  
"The book must be quite something for 'Her Holiness" to be so elated," Huan said sarcastically. Gretchen laughed at that remark and the two soon arrived at Zenith's lab.  
  
"Well, go on in master, she wants to have a word with you in private. Please behave!" Gretchen went back downstairs.  
  
A voice spoke from beyond the lab's door, "Enter, doctor." It was the voice of Zenith.  
  
Huan opened the steel-framed door, which creaked loudly as he opened it. He was immediately surprised at how dark the room was, lit by only one candle. It seemed as if the walls were painted black or covered with soot. This gave the room an impression of having no walls--a space of complete void with one single candle in the midst.  
  
"Do close the door, doctor." Zenith's voice echoed from beyond the darkness.  
  
Huan close the door and proceeded towards the center. "So, what is it that the Grand Mistress wishes to have with me?"  
  
"Grand MASTER, doctor, not Grand Mistress. The trade of runemasterey does not differentiate between genders." Zenith replied, annoyed.  
  
"That is good news, oh Grand MASTER. I would have expected your antiquated institution to be practicing a more tried and tested social protocol." Huan answered back at the darkness.  
  
"The conflict between the runic trade and the alchemical arts is ancient in root, but no need to hide yourself in such pointless ancient disagreements, Huan." Zenith said as she appeared from the darkness. She walked towards the candle, the light sparkling off of her mysterious purple gaze. "I am well aware that you are willing to go beyond the confines of the medical arts."  
  
"You mean this," Huan removed his gloves and raised his left hand towards the candle, showing his Plague Rune to Zenith.  
  
"Indeed Huan, you are an interesting patron of our trade, and of course, we are also a patron of your trade. I approved Gretchen to take part in your experiments. I know what you are Huan..." a wry smile lingered on Zenith's lips.  
  
Huan replied unemotionally, "So you have summoned me to threaten me? Typical of your kind."  
  
"The threat is just an appetizer for the main dish to come, Huan. I need your help. The tome you brought in--it contained a surprising find, a Sindar ruin lies beneath our beloved Muse... and hidden within those ruins is the..." Zenith paused and approached Huan. Huan watched Zenith as her face came closer to his, Zenith then whispered into Huan's ear--"Summa Medicina..."  
  
"Yes, Lorentz has filled me in. The tome of highest Sindarin medical knowledge. I am interested, but what makes you interested, your holiness?"  
  
"Have you ever heard of the 'Runechilde?' Of course you have... That's my research Huan, so you could figure out the rest, doctor," Zenith's cold whisper lingered in Huan's ears as she walked back behind the candle.  
  
"I see, you want to unravel the mystery of the Runechilde--those who are born with runes already attached to their body. And I presume you will need my 'willing cooperation' as well?" Huan put an obviously false smile on his face.  
  
"More than that, Huan. Your medical knowledge is superb, it may even surpass your old mentor. But your knowledge of rune mastery makes you dangerous, especially with that odd rune of yours! You will become my apprentice, Huan." Zenith stared directly into Huan's eyes--her purple eyes seemed to gleam from within as if attempting to capture Huan's soul with its allure.  
  
"And if I say no?" Huan replied with a snicker on his face.  
  
"I'll report how you've killed and poisoned your patients in the past in the name of advancing your own knowledge of medicine, which would probably land you in prison for... oh lets say... life? They may just as well drag you to the scaffold!" Zenith let out an annoying laughter--almost a cackle.  
  
Huan stood in contemplation, "As long as you don't expect me to grovel at your feet like Lorentz does all the time, I'll accept."  
  
"Good then... kneel in front of the candle as I initiate you into the ranks of rune masters." Huan sighed and walked towards the candle, where he knelt down.   
  
"By the authority vested in me by the Trismegistic Council, I confer upon you the title of Rune Master, Honoris Causa!" A ray of light from Zenith's palm struck Huan's forehead, taking the form of the Rune of Melding.  
  
Huan stood up and asked with an expression of confusion, "I thought an apprentice starts from the rank of 'Novice,' and had to work his way up a few tires before becoming a 'Master?' "  
  
"That is why you were conferred your title 'Honoris Causa'--By Cause of Honor. You've already contributed enough to the trade of runemastery to skip all the unnecessary tiers. I hope not having to go through 5 years of rune master training in Greenhill doesn't disappoint you, Master Huan!" Zenith said with a chuckle.  
  
Huan laughed with Zenith, "So, was Lorentz and Gretchen all a part of your plot?"  
  
"Well..." Zenith paused, "As you know, Lorentz is rather weak-willed. As for Gretchen, she knows nothing."  
  
"I see, well, so when do we leave to explore these so-called 'Sindar ruins?'"  
  
"Soon Huan, now lets go tell everyone the good news!" Zenith beckoned Huan to follow her out of the room.  
  
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(Scene moves to the Rune Shop's Sitting Room, Zenith, Gretchen, Lorentz, Huan, and Lebrante are sitting around a low table, where the Sindarin Tome is opened on).  
  
"'Master Huan' is now Master Huan!? That is great!" Gretchen said.  
  
"Congratulations Huan, heh" Lorentz said sarcastically.  
  
Lebrante's eyes were wandering as usual.  
  
"That was good news #1, good news #2 is that we're going on a group picnic to the Sindar ruins under Muse." Zenith stated. "We're all going, and I hired a mercenary because the ruin is supposedly 'infested.'" We will meet the mercenary tomorrow at the Muse gates, so prepare yourselves for adventure by tomorrow. Any questions?"  
  
"So... the fighting will be left up to the mercenary?" Lorentz asked.  
  
"Of course not, we all fight, Master Lorentz. In fact, I want you to be on the front row. You'll be given a 'robe of healing' that Master Gretchen made as a part of her research." Zenith replied callously.  
  
Gretchen cheerfully added, "Thanks for volunteering to help me with my research Master Lorentz!"  
  
Lorentz uttered, "Yeah... I did agree to 'help' but I didn't kno..."  
  
Lebrante suddenly shrieked, "Will I be allowed to be on the front row as well, miladies?"  
  
Zenith looked at Lebrante, puzzled, "If you insist professor, are you sure?"  
  
"Oh of course miladies, I have a few weapons that need some 'direct appraisal!'" Lebrante said, his eyes ever wandering."  
  
"Okay then, Master Gretchen, Master Huan, and myself will be in the back row, we will leave early tomorrow, so get prepared. The meeting is over if there are no other questions." Zenith looked around at each face.  
  
"Who is this mercenary you are hiring?" Huan asked.  
  
"A highly experienced kobold warrior. I haven't met him myself, but I hear that he is 'swift as a white-water gorge and has the spirit of fire' so he shouldn't be disappointing."   
  
"A kobold eh, always a good specimen..." Huan muttered inaudibly to the others.  
  
Lorentz shifted over and whispered to Huan, "You're not thinking of performing a field vivisection after the mercenary dies in battle are you?"  
  
"More likely, the vivisection will be done on you, front-row warrior. Oh, and thanks for the new career," Huan whispered back.  
  
"Well, good night to everyone then, dismissed!" Zenith said. Lebrante and Gretchen left to their quarters saying their goodnights.  
  
"Hey Huan, you're not angry are you?" Lorentz asked.  
  
"Angry? Just because I was blackmailed into taking up a new career to become an apprentice to that witch because you were being a 'good boy' to her? Of course not Lorentz! Actually, this may work out just perfect... just perfect," an evil smile formed at Huan's lips.  
  
"Uh hum, I actually am right here Master Huan," Zenith's voice spoke from behind Huan.  
  
"Oh, Grand Master, I didn't even notice. If you would excuse me I must retire to my chambers," Huan said with mock politeness.  
  
"Wait, Master Huan. I have a gift for you, follow me," Zenith walked upstairs. "Oh yes and Lorentz, have professor Lebrante give you a good weapon for tomorrow. You will need it!"  
  
"Yes Grand Master..." Lorentz replied in a surrendering tone.  
  
Huan followed Zenith to her lab. Zenith was silent as a she lead Huan to her lab. As the two entered the lab, Zenith spoke, "You have heard of rune affinities before, Master Huan?"  
  
Huan replied, "I believe it is a part of your superstition that some humans are born with innate affinities to certain runes."  
  
Zenith chuckled, "You have much to learn, apprentice. It is a fact that each and every person--and all other things in this universe--possess innate affinities to certain runes." Zenith raised her palm towards Huan in a gesture for Huan to "stop" she continued onward and disappeared into the darkness.  
  
"Your mind is transparent. I could see into you as if you are made of crystal. Are you aware of your own affinity Huan?" Zenith's voice echoed from within the darkness.  
  
Huan stood silently. Zenith appeared from the darkness with a rune crystal held in her hand, the crystal gave off a faint blue glow as candlelight illuminated its semi-opaque surface. "This is my gift, a rune of your highest affinity," Zenith said as she held the crystal out to Huan.  
  
Huan took the crystal in his hand, the crystal was the size of an average adult fist, within it loomed an image of a scythe. Zenith explained, "That is the darkness rune, a rune within the line of the Rune of Life and Death. How fitting for a doctor to possess that rune, now, use your rune of melding, make it a part of you Huan."  
  
Huan chuckled, "indeed, how ironic." Huan then proceeded to use his rune of melding to attach the darkness rune to his forehead. 


	7. Impregnation

A lone figure stood at the gates of Muse--A kobold of tall stature in military attire with a long sword sheathed at his side. The kobold stared out towards the endless plains in a stern expression, gentle winds soared through his fur.  
  
"The Pneuma is arid as is the Terra, akrasia is string in the air..." the kobold spoke to himself. as he stared at the distant sunrise.  
  
A figure approached the kobold from within the city, the kobold saw the figure at the edge of his eyes and turned back towards the woman, a slight smile appearing at his canine lips.  
  
"You sure are early!" Zenith said as she walked up to the kobold. "So, how long has it been General Genesis?"  
  
"The last time we met I was still a general, it was during the Southern Campaign... so it must be about 7 years. Oh yes, "Gengen" 'll do just fine Lady Zenith." The kobold said with a laugh.  
  
"It's good to see you again, you look as young as you were back then!" Zenith said.  
  
"Lets see how long that would last, as the mortal frame of our kobold kind expires faster than that of man," Gengen said in a somber tone.  
  
"Still a stoic are you? Perhaps we could chat about Tauer's eschatological theories, or Bora Atkin's law of general akrasia?"  
  
"That would be nice Lady Zenith, it's hard to get any intelligent conversations these days!" Gengen laughed. "Anyhow, I thought you had more coming with you?"  
  
Zenith replied as she looked towards the city, "They should be here anytime."  
  
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"Is there anything lighter professor?" Lorentz whined as he threw down a silver shield. "Why does Grand Master want me to be at the front row..."  
  
Lebrante raised his bald head as he stopped rummaging thougha pile of equipment in his lab, "Those shields are very good though Masters Lorentz and Gomez... perhaps you could try this..." Lebrante reached down into the pile and pulled out an ungly looking shield with a lizard-like face carved on it's face.  
  
"That's one ugly shield, looks light though," Lorentz commented.  
  
"These are the Magical Shields of Pak-Tor, these belong to the Karaya, and is supposed to be strong against fire Sir Lorentz," Lebrante handed the shield to Lorentz.  
  
"This isn't bad, it's pretty light. I'll take this--and now, a weapon. Do you have anything light and fitting for a rune master professor?" Lorentz eyed the racks of equipment--the walls were stacked with a wide array of weapons, one maul looked filling for a giant, "HOW could that weapon be used!?" Lorentz thought to himself.  
  
Lorentz realized that Lebrante was holding out a bladeless hilt at Lorentz. "This will be good for you Sir Lorentz and Gomez.  
  
Lorentz took the hilt with an expression of confusion, "professor, this is no time for jokes, or are you telling me I don't need a weapon? I'll agree to that, but Grand Master would get mad..."  
  
Lebrante interfered, "No no sirs, these hilts are perfect for rune masters. You see that small slot at the end of these hilts? Try putting two rune crystals in there, heh heh." Lebrante's eyes wandered wildly as he cackled with joy.  
  
Lorentz looked at the hilt. The hilt lacked any guard, it was more like a simple cylinder. It was very light, but lacked any design. He saw that there was a slot at one end of the hilt.  
  
"So professor, you want me to put a rune crystal inside this slot?" Lorentz asked perplexed.  
  
Lebrante nodded. Lorentz went ahead and grabbed a water rune that he kept as backup, the rune fit perfectly as he slipped the rune inside the slot. The rune crystal started to glow as it was held into place and the hilt started to hum. Lorentz then saw a blade extend from the hilt.  
  
"How peculiar!" Lebrante raised the sword to his eyes, amazed. The blade was definately made with water, and was clear but refracted light just like water, but the blade had the shape of a sword. Lorentz also realized that the sword itself was weightless. "Professor, what is this weapon, and how did you find this?"  
  
Lebrante cackled, "Rather peculiar wouldn't you say Masters Lorentz and Gomez? Those are called rune sabers, I have no idea of their manufacture or origins--a shame it is, the Grand Masters simply asked me to archive them. Ofcourse, back then the hilts had darkness crystals within them, heh heh."  
  
"Grand Master never spoke of such a relic, and she never used darkness runes... but neverthless, this is a fitting weapon for me, I suppose." Lorentz removed the water rune from the hilt and pocketed the hilt.  
  
Lorentz watched Lebrante back at digging through the pile. "Well, professor, I'll get going. Aren't you coming as well?"  
  
Lorentz replied without looking back, "Heh, don't worry Sir Lorentz and Gomez, I'll get there soon after I find what I am looking for. I have a few things I wish to test in 'direct appraisal,' hee hee."  
  
"Well, I'll see you at the gate then professor," Lorentz left the lab.  
  
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Huan and Gretchen were already at the gate with Zenith and Gengen when Lorentz arrived. Huan was standing with a bored expression while Gretchen and Gengen were busy talking. Zenith was glaring angrily at Lorentz as he approached.  
  
"...so, you say that reflections of physical objects are false?" Lorentz heard Gengen say to Gretchen.  
  
"Yes, a image of a moon reflected off of the water is just a mirage, so it's false, ofcourse!' Gretchen replied cheerfully as if she figured out a solution to some profound problem.  
  
Lorentz approached the group wearily, "sorry I'm late Grand Master," he said in his typical weak-willed voice.  
  
"Punctuality is important to rune mastery Master Lorentz, what took you so long?" Gengen and Gretchen stopped their discussion hearing Zenith's harsh tone. Gengen smiled as he watched on.  
  
Lorentz eyed everyone nervously, but his hood kept others from seeing his nervousness, "It took some time to find myself appropriate equipment Grand Master."  
  
Zenith looked at Lorentz, her purple eyes filled with annoyance, "So you have an ugly shield? But where is your weapon? Don't tell me you're going to fight with your fists Master Lorentz."  
  
Lorentz reached into his robe and pulled out his hilt. Zenith's expression changed to one of shock as she looked at it.  
  
"...so the professor gave you this? N... not a bad choice. Well, I guess we should go now!" Zenith suddenly turned away and walked out the gate.  
  
Huan was amused by Zenith's odd reaction, "The professor hasn't arrived yet Grand Master."  
  
"Oh yes, what could be taking him so long?"  
  
Lorentz replied, "He was rummaging through a huge pile when I left, Grand Master."  
  
Huan realized that Gengen was gazing afar towards center Muse. Huan followed his gaze and spotted a hulking armor-clad man walking towards the gate. His face was obscured by his helmet's visor, but the gait of the man was awkward and quite humorous.  
  
Gretchen realized Gengen and Huan were looking towards the center of Muse, she then suddenly screamed, "It's professor Lebrante! He's wearing his Silver Armor! Yay!" She ran off towards the armored man. Huan wondered how Gretchen was able to tell.  
  
Lebrante slowly approached the party with Gretchen talking to him, "Heh heh, excuse my tardiness sirs and ladies, it took a while to get these arms on myself," Lebrante said as he lifted his visor.  
  
"Gretchen, how did you know he was the professor? With all the armor I wasn't able to tell," Huan asked.  
  
Gretchen looked at Huan and smiled, "Nice question master! You see, I worked with the professor when were examining this armor. All silver equipment has healing properties right? So I wanted to see if it was caused by naturally-occuring healing runes!."  
  
"I see," Huan was slightly dazed by Gretchen's fast, enthuisiatic speech.  
  
"Well professor, now that you're here, I guess you could lead the way?" Zenith said in her typical cool and collected tone.  
  
"Wait a second," Huan interfered, "No disrespect to the professor, but he isn't exactly the warrior-type is he? Why is he leading the way?"  
  
Lorentz mumbled, "Well, as long as I'm not leading..." Huan quickly shoved his hand on Lorentz's mouth.  
  
"So little faith in our dear professor Master Huan?" Zenith chided, "He has the map memorized."  
  
"You mean both maps, obviously?" Huan replied testingly.  
  
"Exactly!" Lebrante replied, "heh heh, just follow me sirs and ladies, hee hee." Lebrante walked off, making a lot of noise as his metalic greaves clanked on the paved path.  
  
Gengen shrugged and follwed Lebrante, Zenith gave Lorentz a shove as he followed unwillingly, the rest followed and walked out the gate, skimming around the outer walls of Muse in search for the enterance to the Sindar Ruins.  
  
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A few hours have passed since, and the party was still wandering along the western edge of Muse's city walls.  
  
Huan was silent with an expression of boredom on his face. Lebrante was busily scanning the area, "We should be close miladies, but according to the map, the entrance is supposed to be next to a rock with a peculiar profile, heh heh."  
  
"What profile is that professor?" Gretchen asked.  
  
Lebrante turned towards Gretchen, but stared at the space right beside her, "heh heh, Master Fletchen, how nice of you to ask. The rock is supposed to be shaped like a "land-water beast," which would be an alligator by our diction! But all I have seen are two alligator shaped rocks..."  
  
Gengen started to laugh, Zenith turned around, "You've given us a clue professor, I believe I know where to look now."  
  
Huan eyed Zenith with a taunting gaze. Zenith glared back in annoyance as she proceeded to lead the way.  
  
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Shortly after, the party arrived at the "two alligator rocks." Gretchen circled around the rock from the right side as Gengen cricled from the left side.  
  
Lebrante protested, "These are not the rocks! We're looking for just one rock standing alone!"  
  
Gengen returned znd Zenith whispered something to Gengen, Gengen then said, "oh yes, the rock on the left seems to have been brought here recently... I think," Gengen nodded with a smile at Zenith.  
  
"Ah hah, how clever, a decoy! hee hee," Lebrante started to cackle as if something was funny.  
  
"So, how exactly do we find the entrance?" Huan said, then mumbled to himself, "if we ever do... that is."  
  
Lebrante regained from his cackling and said, "don't worry Master Huan and Guan, I have a plan, hee hee." He pulled out a scroll from inside his armor and handed it to Zenith. "Just use this spell milady," he said.  
  
Zenith let out a voice of suprise, "Voice of Earth!? We don't even use this spell anymore, they still use it in Toran, but the newest Earth Runes had it replaced with Revenge Earth."  
  
"Yes, I believe the Trismegistic Council wished to strengthen the protective functions of the Earth Rune so they removed Voice of Earth," Lorentz added.  
  
"Thanks for the education Master Lorentz," Huan retorted, "lets get on with it Grand Master."  
  
"Patience apprentice," Zenith said as she started to concentrate on the scroll.  
  
"Terra fragmentatis!" Zenith uttered, and immediately the earth beside the rock started to move like waves, and within seconds, a gaping hole opened.  
  
Gengen walked to to the hole, "wind... humid, there's water down there... and the stench of beasts."  
  
Zenith grabbed Gengen's shoulder, "and that's why I hired you, mister mercenary! Now, lets go."  
  
"Are you sure you smell monsters?" Lorentz asked Gengen in a concerned tone.  
  
"Many!" Gengen said as he drew his sword--he promptly lept into the hole.  
  
"Here I cooo~me!" Lebrante screamed as he leapt in the hole after Gengen.  
  
Zenith shoved Lorentz into the hole, Lorentz screamed as he fell in.  
  
The rest leapt in after the front row fighters went in. Huan realized that the ground was quite soft as he landed inside the dark. "Liminare interminablis," Zenith chanted as light suddenly occupied the subterranean chamber.  
  
The room had an oddly odd ceiling. The walls were made of stone which made it obvious that the room was man-made. Huan saw a passage on the south end as well as to the west. The floor was soft and green as if it was made of some sort of vegetable matter--cold and humid to the touch.  
  
"Whoa!" Gengen suddenly let out a yell, "This floor is... moving!?" In fact, the floor did start to move--first towards the southern passage and then to the side. Then suddenly, Lebrante screamed, "I see one snake head, a huge one, hee hee."  
  
Huan looked towards Lebrante, and saw two snake heads, Lebrante was charging towards the middle of the head with a huge axe in his hand. The snake head on the right swung itself against Lebrante and effortlessly knocked him to the side--Lebranted landed somewhere with a large clang and an "Owww!"  
  
"Looks like we are standing right on top of this poor thing's body..." Gengen said as he plunged his sword into the "floor." Sticky green-blue fluid splattered as the sword plunged into the snake's flesh.  
  
"Everyone get off this monster and regroup to the west corridor!" Zenith yelled. Huan willingly obeyed her command and the rest of them promptly jumped off of the slow-moving giant serpent. Gengen gave Lebrante a hand because he was struggling to stand up due to his heavy armor. Huan looked back and saw that the snake's two heads had runes embedded upon them. He wasn't sure what the runes were, but the rune on the left head started to glow a bright red.  
  
"Hurry up Gengen, it's gonna cast a spell!" Zenith yelled. Gengen kicked Lebrante in the butt to get Lebrante to walk faster, he looked back at the snake with a worried look.  
  
"Tarnations! Zenith I feel fire coming, indulge me!" Gengen yelled as he grabed Lebrante's shield. He then ran towards the snake with his sword and shield. "A kobold warrior is brave, he never looks back!" Gengen shouted his warrior's litany.  
  
Gretchen squealed in amazement, "He is so brave!"  
  
Zenith laughed, "He IS brave, but he is not stupid..." Zenith quickly started to chant as she raised her runic rod. Her rod traced out a triangle and the symbol of the flowing rune appeared above her head, "abracadabra." Strands of light arced towards Gengen as she finished her spell, turning into immaterial shards in front of him.  
  
Lebrante finally trudged into the corridor when flames suddenly gushed from the floor, barely missing him. The flames formed a wall, envelopingt the entire room. Huan felt the intense head radiating from the flames, and an image of a barbecued kobold appeared in his mind as he wondered what fate may have befell the poor canine.  
  
Suddenly a huge beastly roar was heard from beyond the flames--the flame suddenly died down and Gengen rushed inside, not burned at all to Huan's dismay. "Sorry I'm late, thanks for the help Zenith!" Gengen curtseyed humorously.  
  
Gretchen appluased enthusiastically, "Grand Master was so fast at casting Protection Mist!"  
  
"So that's why the kobold didn't turn into kobold burger," Huan thought.  
  
"Protection Mist!? That fast? I didn't even notice!" Lorentz said.  
  
"Save the praise for late Master Lorentz, it's still alive and well." Zenith said while gazing into the smoky chamber.  
  
As the smoke died down, the party heard another roar, Huan was able to see that the giant snake was disoriented--and missing one head.  
  
"General Genesis, did you decapitate one of its heads?" Huan asked.  
  
"Yes! With a swift swing of my beloved sword, 'Gladius Bona'!" Gengen twirled his sword and smiled, revealing white fangs.  
  
Huan was amazed at this, he has never seen combat skills like this before. Of course, he was never really involved in battles in the past, but he thought that such skills were only seen within fairy-tales and legends blown up beyond proportion. The snake's neck had a girth of well over 6 feet, and this kobold slices through all that flesh with his sword. The idea was quite foreign to Huan, and he had to give in to the idea that this kobold was a genuine first-class swordsman.  
  
"Alright, take your positions and advance!" Zenith ordered. Gengen, Lebrante and Lorentz stood in the front as Huan, Zenith, and Gretchen stood behind. The six of them advanced slowly into the dark room. The single head of the snake slowly lift itself and turned towards the party, its red eyes glowing in the dark. Lorentz activated his rune sabre, holding the sabre awkwardly in his right hand as he held his shield far in front of his body.  
  
The battle started with Gengen dashing at the snake. The sound of explosion filled the air as lightning arced towards the giant serpent from Zenith's runic rod, Lebrante started running towards the snake with his axe, and Lorentz started running, emitting a girlish scream. Suddenly, something whipped through the air beside Huan's ears, and moments later a few small arrows struck the right eye of the snake. The snake yelled out a scream. Huan looked back in suprise as he saw Gretchen holding triple arqueballistae. Gretchen smiled, sticking her tounge out a bit in a gesture of mischief, "I saw this in the professor's storage room, and always wanted to use it!"  
  
"Huan, hurry up and attack!" Zenith scolded. Huan wasn't quite interested in attacking, but was interested in the powers of the darkness rune. He concentrated on his darkness rune. Immediately he felt like he was being dragged into another world--  
  
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Huan suddenly realized that he was standing on a rocky shore, I have been here before Huan thought. Smooth pebbles the size of eggs littered the beach. Huan walking along the beach, smelling the salt in the air. The sky was gray, and the wind was strong. It even felt like it was raining but Huan wasn't sure--it didn't matter. After a while, he saw a hooded human figure standing on a huge rock that jutted out of the beach just at the edge of the sea. Behind the rock was a huge cliff. The human figure was hooded, and was wearing a white cloak. From afar, Huan was able to hear a faint, growling voice from the figure. "...se who pl... blood shall...sters" Then the figure lifted his or her arm, and pointed diagonally downwards, right where the waves were crashing against the rock. Huen walked closer the figure spoke again, "Those who play with blood shall themsleves become monsters." The figure's head lifted, and Huan fell backwards in shock, it was Gretchen. However, her eyes steared at him cold and blank as if lacking the soul.  
  
The figure spoke, "Be it known, kin to the Rune of Life and Death--your powers are rooted in darkness. Darkness is without form or substance, it lies in between all things like a wave crashing onto a rocky shore, it disappears in the presence of light. Likewise, darkness lies before, between, and after life and death.  
  
"Darkness unites all things, it is the cause and end to all creation?" Huan spoke out, as if posessed.  
  
Gretchen clasped her hands and bowed, "Remember, child of darkness--life cannot exist without light, but also can not exist without darkness--same with death. Neither can exist without the other..."  
  
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Huan suddenly woke up, Lorentz and Gretchen stared down at him with worried looks. Huan suddenly screamed and backed away, "Wha, what happened!?"  
  
Lorentz laughed, "Why Huan, you destroyed that large snake with your darkness rune, you immediately fainted but good job!"  
  
"Yes master, I've never seen a darkness rune in use! It was AMAZING!! The snake just broke into piaces of light and disappeared!" Gretchen was ecstatic. Huan realized that Zenith was smiling at him knowingly.  
  
"I have a few questions for you later Grand Master," Huan grunted.  
  
Zenith nodded with a smile, "good work apprentice."  
  
"Egads Master Huan, that was quite a show!" Gengen said as he slammed Huan in his back.  
  
"We'll keep onwards, lets take the southern path first, I'm sure we'll get used to battle soon enough." Zenith said.  
  
"More battles!?" Lorentz whined.  
  
"Don't worry" Gengen said, "Some have greater talents in combat, but anyone could become good at fighting--it all depends on how strong your enemy is. Every time you defeat a strong enemy, you become stronger. That's the way things work! Soon you'll become a formidable warrior Master Lorentz!" Gengen laughed, his open mouth showing all his white fangs.  
  
Huan shook his head and stood up, "I hope I don't have to faint and see weird dreams every time I use a frickin' spell!" he thought.  
  
"Lets go mister runic warrior!" Gretchen chuckled at Lorentz as she patted his back.  
  
Lorentz scurried over to Huan and whispered, "'runic warrior,' doesn't that sound sort of cool?" he said.  
  
"Idiot," Huan replied as he followed the rest into the southern corridor. Lorentz followed, whining. 


End file.
